At a Venue: Tips, Pros and Cons

Is a venue the right place for you? We've listed out the pros and cons, and it's ultimately up to you to decide! Good luck.Pros:

• You can pick the perfect venue size to fit the guest list
• Trust professionals to take care of all the details
• Enjoy the party with the rest of the guests instead of fretting about serving food and drinks
• No clean-up required. When the party ends, you get to go home!
  

Cons:

• You're at the mercy of the venue, including its staff, food and drinks
• You likely won't be able to bring in outside catering
• Greater expense, depending on the venue

How To Make It Work
1. Spend time choosing the right place for the party. Do some research and ask for recommendations.
2. Go out to lunch or dinner at the venue and try a variety of food and drinks.
3. Choose a place that has beautiful or unique architecture, or that already looks furnished for an event. That way, you won't have to add your own decorations.
4. Meet with the catering or event manager to discuss all the complete details and costs.
5. To cut costs, ask if you can bring your own champagne bottles and simply pay a corkage fee. You can save quite a bit by buying a box of quality champagne from Costco or Sam's Club.